2026 Kingston Municipal Elections: District 10 - Sydenham

There will be a new councillor representing Sydenham, four candidates are in the running.

This is a series of profiles of the candidates running in this year's municipal election in Kingston.

Today, we are highlighting the candidates running for the council seat in District 10 - Sydenham.

Sydenham encompasses Queen's University, Kingston General Hospital, City Park, Breakwater Park, and MacDonald Memorial Park. There are a number of buildings in the district that were constructed in the 1800s.

Residents in Sydenham will elect a new councillor as incumbent Conny Glenn is running for the mayor's seat in this year's municipal election in Kingston. The four candidates are: Andrew DaCosta, Rajesh Kumar, John Meligrana, and Annie Palone.

(Editor's note: while Mr. Kumar agreed to our request for an interview, he asked that we do not use any of the audio. We are instead using a transcript of the recording.)

We asked the candidates why you are running for Council in Lakeside?

DaCosta:

Kumar: "I reached out to somebody for guidance on a not-for-profit idea that I had for starting addressing food insecurity. I wanted to launch an online, uh, community run grocery store. It will have only mobile app at the front end and will not have any physical space to keep the post a minimum and have will have a warehouse at the back end. The city only has a warehouse, which is leased out to light assert, some portion of which is still unutilized. So I thought this could be, you know, win-win opportunity, but the official told me, Rajesh, I'm trying to help you, but I do not have a mandate to help you. It was quite shocking, you know, the city should have addressed it proactively and when somebody's coming up with a not-for-profit idea. This is the kind of response we get. These were few reasons, you know, why I'm running for the city council here."

Palone:

Describe your platform. What do you hope to accomplish as the district councillor?

Kumar: "I have spoken to around 893 individuals during the 3 rounds of canvassing and have had around 1300 plus different conversations. Uh, based on the, what the people have told me, my residents have told me, I have, no, divided those 3 into uh, those feedback into 3, you know, high level categories. One is meeting basic needs and creating more jobs. So, that that covers, you know, expanding affordable housing, implementing the student housing strategy, addressing homelessness, and fooding security, supporting local businesses, attracting new industries, growing our economy, and easing property tax affordable. That's one. Second priority is having a safe, accessible and liveable neighbourhood. That includes improving sidewalks, roads, traffic safety and parking, protecting green space and recreational facilities, and creating more space for pedestrian and cyclists. Third is about having a caring accountable and responsible city hall. We somehow the city somehow starts listening to and following through, spending responsibly in forcing bio fairly, advancing LGBTQ plus inclusion and sustainability, and putting every residence first. Everyday residents first."

Palone:

DaCosta:

Tell us a little about yourself?

Palone:

DaCosta:

Kumar: "I am currently working at Queens University as part of its partnership and innovation team, which is rebranded recently as commercialization adventures. We work with the city, our faculty researchers, and industry, in advancing entrepreneurship, research and innovation. To oversimplify it, we try creating local jobs. When I'm not working. I try to get involved in uh, uh, some community uh, initiatives, whether that is, uh, uh, being on the board of uh, uh, counselling uh, organization called tri-counseling or a couple of other uh, community relative uh, initiatives where my skill or I can be of any any help. I to be, I try to be, you know, a bit more actively involved in that."

John Meligrana could not be reached by our deadline. He is a life-long resident of the Sydenham District. Meligrana works as an urban planner and is currently a professor at Queen's University. Some of the issues he is running on include: safe neighbourhoods, developing a student housing strategy, and ensuring taxpayer's dollars are spent wisely.

Kingston residents will be electing a new council on October 26.

Story by Ken Hashizume